A Provincial Perspective
by Jonathan Moss
Download The Full Article: Supporting Sustainable Transition in Afghanistan
As we enter 2011 it is a good time to consider what more needs to be done to promote sustainable transition in Afghanistan. Critical to a successful transition will be getting international support right at the provincial level.
If money really is a weapon system then it is time for the International Community (IC) to start accounting for the ammunition -- at the very minimum to ensure we are doing no harm. Rather than contributing to international objectives, excessive spend focused too narrowly on selected districts may become a driver of instability and put at risk the transition process. The future lies in the government of Afghanistan running a national management cycle of planning, budgeting, execution, auditing and reporting that is responsive to local needs and touches people in their daily lives. The capacity deficit is great and time is short. Now is the last chance to focus on what is needed to sustain the state post transition.
Download The Full Article: Supporting Sustainable Transition in Afghanistan
Jon Moss is a Senior Manager with Coffey International Development specialising in fragile states, stabilisation and sub-national governance. Since October 2008 Jon has been contracted by the UK Stabilisation Unit to lead a small multi-disciplinary team to build the capacity of the provincial administration in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
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Comments
The author briefly alludes to the distortion to the economy caused by an influx of massive amounts of aid but have we really looked at this secondary effect? It seems like everyone has embraced the mantra that "money is the key non-lethal weapon" without reflecting on the possible adverse consequences. We have seen some studies/audits on the negative effects of multi-million dollar security and logistics support contracts. Maybe it is time to do a similar analysis of the effects of injecting large amounts of money into a low-GDP rural economy. One example that comes to my mind is the 1992-93 UN peacekeeping mission to Cambodia, an operation which I understand to have caused a significant disruption to the Cambodian economy.
I don't know that the "government of Afghanistan" can do what the author says is necessary under the structure it was given in that nation's Constitution. And I don't know that "Now is the last chance..." since history has a way of flowing on even as we players pass from the stage.
But I can admire that he will go work in an area of personal danger and I can agree with the general tone that the amount of money being dumped into the country is a source of friction. I read somewhere that the love of money is the root of all evil and yet we persist in believing that properly dispensed money will bring out man's better nature. Odd.